Equipment You'll Need After Hip or Knee Replacement (Leg Lifter, Reacher, Sock Aid)

Quick answer: Hospital checklists name the same core kit for hip and knee replacement: a walker, cane or crutches, a reacher, a sock aid, a leg lifter, a long-handled shoehorn and sponge, a raised toilet seat, and a shower seat or transfer bench. Alberta Health Services says to have it ready 1 to 2 weeks before surgery and practice.

The core equipment checklist

This list comes from Alberta Health Services' patient pages for hip and knee replacement, checked against MedlinePlus and two hospital handouts. Alberta says you may need hip equipment for up to 3 months after surgery. Treat it as a starting list. Your own surgeon and therapist decide what you actually need.

(Alberta Health Services, hip equipment; Alberta Health Services, knee equipment)

Alberta says to have the equipment ready 1 to 2 weeks before surgery so you can practice with it. That advice is easy to skip. We would rather you fumble with a sock aid at the kitchen table a week early than on the day you get home.

Dressing tools: reacher, sock aid and shoehorn

Backus Hospital's occupational therapy handout calls the reacher, sock aid, long-handled shoehorn and long-handled sponge a "hip kit." Its steps for lower-body dressing with a reacher: sit on the side of the bed or in a chair, always dress the operated leg first, grab the waist of the garment with the reacher, lower it to the floor while holding the end of the reacher, slip your foot through, and pull it up. Take clothes off the non-operated leg first. (Backus Hospital, Occupational Therapy Equipment)

Hamilton Health Sciences gives five steps for a sock aid:

1. Slide the sock onto the sock aid.
2. Lower the sock aid to the ground with the string handles. Do not bend over to lower it.
3. Slide your foot into the sock aid and pull up the sock with the string handles.
4. If the sock does not come up all the way, use a reacher to pull it up the rest of the way.
5. Remove socks with a reacher and shoehorn, or a dressing aid (stick).

It says sock aids work best with stretchy socks such as loose gym socks, and that you should practice using the dressing tools before surgery. (Hamilton Health Sciences, Your New Hip) For shoes, Backus says to use the reacher to put the shoe in position and the long-handled shoehorn to get your heel in. Island Hospital adds that Velcro straps, elastic shoe laces, or well-fitting slip-on shoes may make shoes easier.

Leg lifters: getting the operated leg into bed

Getting the operated leg up onto the mattress can be hard at first. The Disabled Living Foundation (DLF), a UK charity that publishes equipment factsheets, describes a manual leg lifter as a reinforced strap with a loop on the end. You hook your leg through the loop and physically lift the loop up onto the bed. DLF notes this takes enough strength, dexterity and sitting balance. (Disabled Living Foundation, Choosing a bed and bed accessories)

DLF also describes powered leg lifters, which attach to the bed frame. You sit on the edge of the bed with your feet on the floor in front of the device, and a platform raises your legs to mattress level so you can slide them onto the bed. Ask your therapist which method fits your surgery. For the full sequence, see how to get out of bed after hip replacement.

Bathroom setup

Hamilton Health Sciences says most toilets are too low for you to sit on after hip replacement, and that you will need a raised toilet seat that fits your toilet, or a commode chair. MedlinePlus says raising the toilet seat height will keep you from flexing your knee too much, and that you can do this with a seat cover, an elevated toilet seat, or a toilet safety frame, or use a commode chair instead. (MedlinePlus, Getting your home ready: knee or hip surgery)

MedlinePlus bathroom points:

• Grab bars should be secured vertically or horizontally to the wall, not diagonally. Do not use towel racks as grab bars.
• You will need two grab bars: one to get in and out of the tub, and one to stand from sitting.
• Put non-slip suction mats or silicone decals in the tub, and use a non-skid bath mat outside it.
• Sit on a bath or shower chair with rubber tips on the bottom. Buy a seat without arms if it goes in a bathtub.

Island Hospital suggests a dry run in and out of the shower with someone standing by before your first full shower at home. For coverage questions on bathroom items, see does Medicare cover shower chairs, grab bars or transfer benches.

Bed, chair and room setup

MedlinePlus says to have a bed low enough that your feet touch the floor when you sit on the edge, and to set up your bed on the first floor if you can. You may not need a hospital bed, but the mattress should be firm so you do not sink in when sitting on the side. It also suggests a chair with a firm back in each room you use, a bag or basket on the walker, limiting stairs to once a day, and removing loose rugs and cords.

The Royal Berkshire Hospital's occupational therapy team says that if you are concerned about your bed, chair or other furniture heights, you can take measurements and bring them onto the ward, and the therapy team will help you practice transferring from those heights. It also suggests an armchair, recliner or sofa at a safe sitting height. (Royal Berkshire NHS, Getting ready for planned total hip replacement) Our guide to the best bed height for seniors explains how to measure.

Hip and knee are not quite the same

Some hip patients leave with movement precautions, and those change how the equipment gets used. Island Hospital's handout for posterior hip replacement says not to raise your knee above your hip or bend forward past 90 degrees, not to reach below your knees for lower-body dressing, not to cross your legs, and not to roll the operated leg inward. (Island Hospital, Activities of Daily Living After Hip Replacements) Precautions differ by surgical approach and surgeon, so follow the ones you are given.

The time you need it varies as well. Alberta says up to 3 months for hip equipment. Hamilton Health Sciences tells its hip patients to plan on renting equipment for up to 6 weeks, and that the therapist or surgeon will say when it is safe to stop. For sleep after surgery, see how to sleep after hip replacement and how to sleep after knee replacement. For a walking aid, see walker vs cane.

Buy, rent or borrow

Alberta lists a pharmacy or medical equipment vendor, a medical equipment loan program, a community health unit or home care program, and friends or family, as long as the equipment is in good condition, safe, and the right type for your height and weight. The Royal Berkshire Hospital notes that, for planned surgery, it does not provide equipment, so patients buy or rent their own, although its physiotherapy team loans mobility aids to take home. Before you shop, ask what your own hospital provides.

FAQ

What equipment do I need after hip replacement?

Alberta Health Services lists a 2-wheeled walker, cane or crutches, a reacher, a chair with armrests, a hip cushion, a sock aid, a leg lifter, elastic shoe laces, a long-handled shoehorn, a non-slip bath mat, a raised toilet seat, toilet arm rests, a long-handled sponge, and a shower seat, tub seat or transfer bench. Your healthcare team tells you which ones you need.

What equipment do I need after knee replacement?

Alberta Health Services' knee list is almost the same as its hip list: a walking aid, a reacher, a chair with armrests, a sock aid, a leg lifter, elastic shoe laces, a long-handled shoehorn, a non-slip bath mat, a raised toilet seat, toilet arm rests, a long-handled sponge and a shower or tub seat. It does not list the hip cushion.

How do you use a leg lifter?

The Disabled Living Foundation describes a manual leg lifter as a reinforced strap with a loop on the end: your leg goes through the loop and you use the strap to raise it onto the bed. It says you need the strength, dexterity and sitting balance to do this, so practice with your therapist.

How do you use a sock aid?

Hamilton Health Sciences says to slide the sock onto the sock aid, lower it to the ground with the string handles without bending over, slide your foot in, and pull the sock up with the handles. If it does not come up all the way, use a reacher. It says the aid works best with stretchy socks.

When should I get my equipment?

Alberta Health Services says to have it ready 1 to 2 weeks before surgery so you can practice with it. Hamilton Health Sciences also says to practice using the dressing tools before surgery.

Sources

• Alberta Health Services, MyHealth.Alberta.ca, Having a Hip Replacement: Equipment you'll need (current as of July 18, 2025): https://myhealth.alberta.ca/hip-replacement/before-your-surgery/equipment-youll-need
• Alberta Health Services, MyHealth.Alberta.ca, Having a Knee Replacement: Equipment you'll need (current as of October 7, 2025): https://myhealth.alberta.ca/knee-replacement/before-your-surgery/equipment-youll-need
• MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Getting your home ready: knee or hip surgery (review date 11/7/2024): https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000167.htm
• Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, Getting ready for planned total hip replacement surgery (May 2025): https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/media/1wjfca1n/getting-ready-for-planned-total-hip-replacement-surgery_may25.pdf
• Hamilton Health Sciences, Your New Hip (PD 5454, updated 05/2021): https://www.hamiltonhealthsciences.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Your-New-Hip.pdf
• Backus Hospital, Occupational Therapy Equipment (hip kit): https://backushospital.org/file%20library/pdf/ot-adaptive-equipment-hip-kit-info.pdf
• Island Hospital, Activities of Daily Living After Hip Replacements (reviewed 01/08/2018): https://www.islandhospital.org/wp-content/uploads/Activities-of-Daily-Living-After-Hip-Replacements.pdf
• Disabled Living Foundation (Living made easy), Choosing a bed and bed accessories: https://livingmadeeasy.org.uk/dlf-factsheets/choosing-a-bed-and-bed-accessories

Written by the EzLift Team, EzLift's organizational authorship team. Last reviewed November 10, 2026. This guide summarizes hospital patient handouts, MedlinePlus and Disabled Living Foundation guidance. It is not medical advice. Follow your surgeon, physical therapist and occupational therapist, whose instructions come first. This article does not claim that any equipment or EzLift product speeds recovery, prevents falls or treats any condition.